Parental preferences for viewing a video-formatted parent education program

Parents of handicapped children have needs that are similar to but more extensive than the needs of other parents. These needs can be met by a variety of programs. One type of program for parents presents information on child development, as it applies to young handicapped children, on video tapes. To ensure that the maximum use is made of these tapes, they should be presented in a way that is preferable to parents. What these preference might be was investigated in a study involving fourteen families who have children attending two centers for young developmentally delayed or at risk children in a rural area of East Tennessee. The parents were asked to indicate a preference for viewing the tapes in their own homes, at the center during the time when their children were being seen, or at evening meetings with other parents. Data was collected concerning parent's stated preferences, their actual viewing behavior and ten familial demographic variables. The results indicate a clear preference for home viewing of the tapes. There were no differences in the demographic variables between parents who preferred viewing the tapes at home, at the center or in the evening. There were differences found in the demographic parameters of those parents who viewed a few tapes and those parents who viewed many tapes. It was concluded that although information on parental preferences may be helpful in designing a successful parent program, there is a need for flexibility in that programming to accommodate not only individual needs but changing needs of parents.